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Showing posts from February, 2016

Leap Year!

What are you doing with your "bonus" day?  More of the same?  Something unusual?  True, this leap day is a sleight-of-hand bearing the fingerprints of Roman dictators and long-deceased popes, but the idea of extra time has such appeal.  So ask yourself this question today: you've been blessed with an additional hours in your life span.  What would would you do with that time?  Then ponder these questions: If it's something you wouldn't bother doing otherwise, why waste this gift on something so unimportant to you?  And if it's something you would do otherwise, why aren't you doing it now? Lent, with our without a 29th day in February, is a good time to ask if we're making wise, faithful use of the gifts with which we've been blessed - including the gift of time.

Taking Stock

We're close to the mid point of Lent.  How has this season been for you?  I invite you to take stock of your Lenten journey today.  If all is going well, ask why, and then double check to make sure you're not missing something.  Then pray for discernment and God's support and direction.  If things aren't where you'd like them to be, pause, reflect, and chart a new direction.  Then pray for discernment and God's support and direction.  Either way, know that there is still a lot of Lent ahead of us - and yet know that Lent will be over before we know it.  Don't delay: Take stock today!

Sunshine!

Have you looked out the window this morning?  If you're in the Upper Valley, you'll see a clear blue sky, everything bathed in brilliant sunlight.  Radiant is the word that comes to mind.  It's not only sunshine that's radiant.  Many things are.  But on this morning, the radiance that comes to mind is that of God's love.  It's a wonderful, grand thing.  And it's a proof of how powerful we humans are. Come again? Think about it: through our actions, our inattention, our, yes, sins, we have the ability to block out the radiant love of God.  That's power!  Of course, it's one we should never, ever want to use.  Alas, we do, usually without thinking. This day, let's resolve to travel a different way.  Let's look out the window, think of God and all God is doing for us and in our lives.  Let's bask in the sunshine.  Let's bask in God's love.

Running Late

How is it only 9:47 am and I already feel like I've fallen way behind schedule?  If you're like me, you've had days like this.  Maybe you're having one like it just now.  Such times call for triage, the ruthless management of one's schedule to get back on track, to make a semblance of progress before the sun sets.  Alternatively, there is the wisdom offered long ago by a former colleague: "There's nothing you can do today that you can't put off until tomorrow."  Now, you might say, aren't these both ways of choosing to do some things and not others?  You'd be right, of course.  But these are two very different ways of looking at things, of setting priorities.  The first approach is hurried, hastened, and operates from a position of scarcity - we don't have enough time!  The second approach is more relaxed, measured, and is rooted in a position of abundance - we have not only today but tomorrow to do what needs to be done; w

F is for Falcon

Chip spotted it first as I approached the school.  Perched on a limb, surveying the grounds, was a peregrine falcon.  After Chip got out of the car and made his way into the building for class I drove away to find a better place to park.  The bird sat serenely, watching all about.  It was large, its head especially so.  The falcon radiated presence and command. I was delighted to see something so  majestic at the start of the day.  It was an unexpected encounter with the wild, the created, the other.  It was a reminder of the glories of God's kingdom, a living symbol of God's grace.  This sighting also got me thinking: lf the many things we repent of during Lent, one should be how easily we - I - allow myself to be distracted from grace.  When we do, what a shame - for think of all we might be missing.  Let's focus on what's important, let's be alert.  For when we are, who knows what God will show us ...

Confession

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. I invite you to read this prayer, taken from the Book of Common Prayer.  Look for the word or phrase that speaks to you, or, even better, challenges you.  Then take some time to reflect on that word and phrase before making it the centerpiece of your own prayer of confession to God.

Coming Up Empty?

A confession: I'm not really feeling inspired this morning.  Yes, I could easily bang out some hackneyed reflection for you about grace or perseverance or some such theological concept.  But you, gentle reader, deserve better.  So what to do? Well, there's what I'm doing right now.  I'm just typing, waiting to see what comes out.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit will give me a nudge.  Or perhaps the Holy Spirit will leave me where I am.  And if that's the case, perhaps I should take a moment to look around, to think about the moment, to see if there's a clue or message to be discerned.' For example: perhaps, above, I was too quick to dismiss writing about perseverance.  Sometimes, after all, that's exactly what we have to do.  Perhaps in slogging our way through a fallow moment of prayer, or writing, or discipleship, or faith, we are being given an opportunity to acknowledge that God isn't necessarily looking for peak performance but simply our

Washington's Birthday - For Real

Today, not last Monday, is actually the anniversary of George Washington's Birthday.  When I was little we actually celebrated the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln on the actual days on which they were born.  Then in 1971 Congress passed legislation creating Presidents Day, lumping Washington and Lincoln together and, over time, whiling giving a nod to worthies like FDR, Harry Truman, and Ike, also adding lesser lights like Pierce, Fillmore, and Buchanan who have occupied the Oval Office.  When you think about it, we went from honoring two towering individuals to anybody who has ever been elected to our nation's highest office and thus, in a way, to a celebration of the office itself.  Unintentionally, we went from marking achievement and service to power and position. What, you may wonder, has any of this to do with Lent?  Well, all of this arose from something called the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.  The implication of this legislation is that everything needs

Tempus Fugit

Sometimes things sound better in a different language, even a dead one.  Tempus fugit suggests something important, something weighty.  Time flies, on the other hand, sounds a bit breezy.  Frankly, the Latin does a better job of conveying how fleeting our hours on this earth are.  Time does indeed fly by -- and it doesn't travel in a circle, returning to us.  Moments come, moments go.  We're already twelve days into the Lenten season.  I don't know about you, but there are days when I feel like my Lenten journey has barely begun! God gives abundantly but to us.  Of his love, he gives infinitely.  But time is another matter.  I believe that part of our living and dying is a call to be wise stewards of the proverbial four score years we are given on this earth.  Yes, we may go on to some eternal glory after we die, but that does mitigate the preciousness of the gift of life with which we've been blessed.  As best we are able, we should use our days wisely, s

Sabbath

The seventh day of the week was set aside by God as a day of rest.  Our Jewish friends observe Sabbath on Saturday.  We do so on Sunday.  How do you personally celebrate Sabbath?  How do you rest?  How could you do a better job of following God's lead in resting?  Mull over these questions today -- and on each Saturday of Lent.  You might even want to jot down your answers today and each week.  Perhaps your answers will remain unchanged.  Perhaps you will find yourself doing something different.  Just open your heart and mind to the Spirit, and see where it leads you.

Lord, In Your Mercy, Hear Our Prayer

Lord, In Your Mercy, Hear Our Prayer. This phrase featured prominently in the book of intercessory prayer I was looking at this morning.  These words, offered in response to an intercession, are a reminder that God hears us out of mercy.  In other words, because he chooses to, without obligation or necessity.  God just does.  Because God wants to.  That's amazing good news, which should be a source of both inspiration (God believes we count!) and humility (God doesn't have to listen to us no matter how noisy, obnoxious, self-entitled, or insistent we become).  And being inspired and being humbled are two gifts that we should receive with gratitude, especially during Lent. So, let us pray for insight, for perspective, for courage, for the faith to set out on a new path, the Way of Jesus, this Lenten season. Lord, in Your Mercy, Hear our Prayer!

Praise!

From Psalm 113 Give praise, you servants of the LORD; praise the Name of the LORD. Let the Name of the LORD be blessed, from this time forth for evermore. From the rising of the sun to its going down let the Name of the LORD be praised. The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. It's easy to say "praise God."  But what does it mean to praise God as the psalmist suggests we do: with every fiber of our being, for every moment of the day?  What does this kind of investment of faith look like, especially in moments when we might not feel like praising God?  Those times exist - for example, when one is sick or depressed, grappling with loss or a setback.  Lent is a time to ponder these questions.  To help us in our reflection, we might remember that all was not smooth sailing for the psalmist.  We know there are times when he felt lost, abandoned, under threat.  Yet still he calls on us to praise God. So give pr

Memory and Prayer

This morning Chip and I looked at our Journey Through Lent calendar (a copy of which you can still get at church).  We learned that today is the "Feast day of Jonani Luwum, Archbishop of Uganda martyred in 1977."  We were then encouraged to "Pray today for all those who suffer for their faith." My son likes to ask questions.  So soon we were discussing martyrdom - losing one's life due for one's faith - and then quickly found ourselves talking about the Klan, Nazis and other evil people who kill others out of hate, whether for another person's race, beliefs, or religion.  That led to a wide ranging conversation about war, leading to our family's participation in WWII.  Chip can be proud that his grandfather was an Army officer in the Pacific theater and his great uncle was part of the contingent that fought its way across Europe.  But they were not the only relatives of his who were caught up in the maelstrom -- most of my mother's

Weather

This week we are living the old saw that if you don't like the weather here in New England, just wait a moment and it will change.  Sometimes, the things, ideas, institutions and even people we rely on remind us of the unpredictable variability highlighted by this saying.  Lent is a good time to refocus on the one thing we know we can count on: God.  It may seem trite, it may seem obvious, but it bears repeating and sharing every day:  God's grace, God's power,  God's mercy, God's justice, God's love are enduring and unfailing. This Lent, let's pray that we not lose sight of this truth.  And let's pray, too, that we in our actions be reminders to others of God's faithful constancy.

Discipline

I really wanted a cup of coffee this morning.  I thought about that how satisfying a nice cup of joe would be.  But almost immediately I found myself considereding how absolutely pathetic it would be to abandon my Lenten discipline so early in the game.  So I had a cup of hot tea instead.  The tea tasted even better than I expected.  I'm sure a psychologist could explain why.  But I don't need to know why, not really.  What I do need is to give thanks to God for offering this season, with all of its surprises.  You see, Lent isn't about giving up or taking on things so that we may suffer.  It's so that in a time of self-examination prayer, and penitence and we may grow spiritually, in faith, and in our relationship with God.  I'm glad I exercised a little patience, showed a little, well, discipline. 

I Love You!

I Love You! These words will be bandied about with abandon today.  Hopefully, as you hear them or say them, you'll remember that they were first expressed by God, who looked upon his creation and saw that it was good.  John tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only son for the world's sake.  And later we read in the epistles that not only does God love us but that God is love itself.  Hold onto this truth this day, whoever you are, wherever you are.  God loves you.  Today and everyday.

Reconciliation

I was delighted to see that the today's edition of the Wall Street Journal prominently above the fold featured a photograph of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kiril.  Not just because it showed the editors of the Journal recognized the importance of the meeting but because of the smiles of the men pictured.  Here, the leaders of two churches sundered apart almost 1,000 years ago, were sitting down and talking.  While the Western and Eastern churches are not about to set aside all of their ecclesiastical and theological differences, the simple fact that Francis and Kiril is huge, not just as a matter of church history but because of the message it sends to hundreds of millions of their followers and, potentially, to more than 1.3 billion Christians worldwide: our arguments, our pride, our principled differences pale when measured against God's call for healing and reconciliation. This Lent, let us be inspired by these two priests to seek reconciliation in our lives.  Th

Brrrr

In case you didn't notice, it's cold outside today.  Really cold.  To use a dictionary word, gelid.  Welcome to Lent. While I can't say I'm a huge fan of Arctic temperatures, the weather seems appropriate.  How better to appreciate the warmth and sunshine of spring than to bluster one's way through the winter?  So, too, Easter.  If we are to fully embrace the joy of the Resurrection, we must first prepare ourselves through reflection and repentance, as hard as those may sometimes be.  And, as we do so, we should not forget that winter has a majesty of its own.  Think of a snowfield illuminated by crisp sunlight on a brilliant, cloudless day.  It's a dazzling sight.  Reflection and repentance can be sources of strength, power, and glory, too. So put on your gloves, find the muffler, don your warmest hat and head out into the cold -- and into Lent!

Worth the Effort

Yesterday morning while the temperature was below freezing and snow fell from the sky, I stood in front of the church, ready to distribute ashes to anybody who was interested.  I had a few takers, and also talked about the meaning of ashes and Lent with someone.  I repeated the exercise at noon.  By then the mercury had inched its way up into the mid 30s and the sun began to poke through the clouds.  So, was it worth the effort? Most definitely. Not only was I able to share ashes with a few people, not only was I able to discuss the purpose of Lent, not only was I able to offer a friendly, visible witness on behalf of our church (I waved at people driving by and many replied in kind.  A couple of cars honked and a flatbed tooted its air horn!).  I was able to reflect on the effort that God has made for and on behalf of me. I know that putting up with yours truly has to be far more demanding of the Almighty than my standing in the cold.  And yet God does this for me.  Each

There's Still Time to Vote!

The 2016 N.H. primary is now officially history.  The candidates have moved on.  The volunteers decamped.  Lent 2016, though, is just beginning! During this season there will be no advertising on our TVs or Facebook feeds, no canvassers knocking on the door, no pollsters calling during the dinner hour.  But just as during this now-concluded campaign, we will be asked to make choices.  The options, though, will be different.  For each of us, the answers to the following questions will be  highly personal, not to be found on a predetermined list: How will we use these weeks of preparation?  What will we do to make things right with God and God's people? Where will go to grow closer to God? I invite you to ponder these questions as you embark upon your Lenten journey.